Fair Haven *** (2016, Michael Grant, Tom Wopat, Gregory Harrison, Josh Green, Tom Malloy, Lisa Varga) – Classic Movie Review 12,393

Michael Grant stars as young James, who returns to his Vermont family apple farm and his father (Tom Wopat) after Christian gay conversion therapy. The earnest, warm-hearted 2016 gay-themed movie Fair Haven deals with the issues sensitively and sensibly.

Michael Grant stars as young James, who returns to his Vermont family apple farm after Christian gay conversion therapy under the brainwashing Dr Gallagher (Gregory Harrison), and is torn between the expectations of his emotionally distant father (Tom Wopat) to stay straight and take over the farm, and his past, loving relationship with nice boy Charlie (Josh Green), whom he encounters again. Dad even fixes James up with a local girl, the Reverend Thomas (Tom Malloy)’s lovely but rather simpleminded daughter Patricia (Lisa Varga).

The earnest, tender, warm-hearted 2016 low-budget gay-themed movie Fair Haven deals with the issues sensitively and sensibly: James is strong and survives the conversion therapy and learns the importance of staying true to himself, despite all the pressures of family and friends. True love and the truth find a way through.

Fair Haven is well and thoughtfully written, and very nicely acted by an appealing cast. Michael Grant keeps the centre in a quietly smouldering performance, and Tom Wopat and Gregory Harrison are outstanding in support, with Wopat beautifully sensitive, lacking any answers to the various dilemmas and predicaments, and Harrison a smooth and convincing villain with an answer for everything.

[Spoiler alert] The film has an air of impending doom throughout, and mounting concern, as you fear something awful is going to happen. Gallagher tries to find out if James has been abused, in an effort to brainwash him, and Charlie later wonders if James needs to fear violence from his father. But it is not that film at all. There is no abuse (apart from the gay conversion therapy of course) and no violence. It has a happy ending at the town rail station, with Dad letting go of James, who leaves the Fair Haven farm to follow his music dreams and his desires in Boston, taking Charlie with him. Dad says: ‘You know where I am if you need anything.’ It sounds cheesy, but it is moving and it works. Grant and Wopat make it work.

Set in Vermont, it was shot in and around Rochester, New York, in June 2014.

It is directed by Kerstin Karlhuber, written by Jack Bryant, and produced by Tom Malloy.

Fair Haven premiered at the Human Rights Campaign headquarters in Washington DC in April 2016 before an extensive international festival run. Its international premiere was in Turin, Italy, in May 2016. A US cinema release followed in March 2017 in Los Angeles. The film premiered on Showtime Networks in June 2017 and was also released digitally and on DVD by Breaking Glass Pictures.

The cast are Michael Grant as James, Tom Wopat as Richard, Gregory Harrison as Dr Gallagher, Josh Green as Charlie, Lily Anne Harrison as Suzy, Tom Malloy as the Reverend Thomas, Jennifer Taylor as Ruby, Lisa Varga as Patricia, Denise Dorado as Helena, Michael Cuddire as Sebastian, and Janne Herrington as Melissa.

Lily Anne Harrison is Gregory Harrison’s daughter.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,393

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